My Best Christmas Present

As a mother, my job is to raise good kids - thoughtful, caring, unselfish, good kids. I feel as though Marcelo and I are getting through to them!!! Back in the end of November, about when all the silly, materialistic Christmas stuff starts coming out, we started discussing with the kids what they would like from Santa this year. We go to Colorado to ski and spend Christmas, so the kids do not receive any additional presents from us. Our gift is the trip, skiing, and most of all the gift of our uninterrupted time. It is a great present for all of us, and we wouldn't want to spend Christmas any other way. It is my favorite trip of the year!

Anyhow, the kids couldn't really come up with anything they wanted or needed. We discussed how awesome that is - to live a life where you have all you need, and most of what you want. The church we go to does a lot around the community and the world, and they have also been discussing this concept with the kids. So Emma and I are sitting in the car one day shortly after these conversations about Santa gifts, and she says to me, "You know what I really, really want for Christmas Mommy? I want to help someone else, even if that means I don't get anything." I practically started crying right then and there. Then I discussed what Emma said with Nicholas and Dylan, and they agreed and got really excited about making money to help buy presents for someone. Could I ever ask for more wonderful children, or a more wonderful Christmas present??? We have always done things for others at Christmas, but this time it came from them on their own.

Long story short, we ended up adopting a family from church that has a 10 year old girl, and then boys that are 8 and 4. God works in strange ways, considering that Emma was the mastermind of this idea and the family has a 10 year old girl. However, this family has a particular struggle - the 10 year old girl has brain cancer. Her name is Allison. Please pray for her. She needs healing and for the tumor to be reduced. The surgery they need to do is extremely risky. Please pray for strength for her family, and for her brothers to feel loved and not left out. We started out trying to bless someone else by sharing Christmas, and we have definitely been more blessed ourselves!





We are off to Colorado on Thursday (the kids and I), and Marcelo is joining us next week. I will blog from Colorado with pics once Marcelo gets there with the laptop. Please pray for safe travel for the kids and I....this is my first solo venture in winter up there! I hope that everyone has a blessed and wonderful Christmas. Don't get caught up in the presents.....enjoy your family, your kids, and remember Jesus. He is our greatest blessing!